Cardiac transplantation in patients with anti-phospholipid antibodies

J Heart Lung Transplant. 2007 Mar;26(3):299-301. doi: 10.1016/j.healun.2007.01.005.

Abstract

Patients with severe heart failure are known to have an increased incidence of thromboembolic events and frequently have a visible thrombus in the left ventricle. Thromboemboli in heart failure patients are usually attributed to the underlying heart failure, and alternative etiologies for thrombus formation are rarely sought. However, anti-phospholipid antibodies and other inherited or acquired clotting abnormalities may contribute to hypercoagulability in heart failure patients and can lead to a persistent high risk for clotting, even after heart transplantation has corrected the underlying heart failure. We report outcomes with heart transplantation in 3 young patients with anti-phospholipid antibodies and a history of pre-heart transplantation thromboembolic events, and demonstrate the importance of post-heart transplantation anti-coagulation in these patients.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antibodies, Antiphospholipid / blood*
  • Anticoagulants / therapeutic use
  • Cardiac Output, Low / complications
  • Cardiac Output, Low / etiology
  • Cardiac Output, Low / immunology*
  • Cardiac Output, Low / surgery*
  • Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / complications
  • Coronary Disease / drug therapy
  • Coronary Disease / etiology
  • Embolism / complications
  • Embolism / drug therapy
  • Embolism / etiology
  • Heart Transplantation* / adverse effects
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Medical Records
  • Postoperative Care
  • Stroke / etiology
  • Thromboembolism / complications
  • Thromboembolism / etiology

Substances

  • Antibodies, Antiphospholipid
  • Anticoagulants